The invention relates to a readily transportable stand. Most desirably, the stand is for securely supporting a musical instrument, particularly a string instrument such as a guitar, violin, viola, or bass. There are many times during practice or a performance when musicians are not playing a particular musical instrument, but want to have the instrument nearby and ready to be quickly accessed (e.g. when the musician switches between acoustic and electric guitars). However, it is also important that the instrument be securely supported when not being used so that it will stay in tune and not be damaged or excessively worm. These functions are typically achieved by using a stand for the instrument which mounts the instrument in a generally upright and readily accessible manner, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,737,137, 5,744,735, 6,316,706, 6,323,405 and 6,323,406, and Design Pat. 353,729. However such conventional stands often do not have a high degree of portability, either being difficult or impossible to move from a supporting position to a lower volume transporting position, and/or being heavy and cumbersome, and conventional stands are also often prone to break. Since musicians travel extensively from one job to another, it is highly desirable to have a virtually unbreakable, relatively lightweight, low volume (during transport) stand that still securely supports a device, preferably a musical instrument, particularly a string instrument, in an upright, readily accessible manner.
According to the invention, a stand in general is provided that allows the user to securely support an accessory structure when assembled, but when disassembled is easy to transport, being both relatively light and taking up a low volume. The invention is particularly well suited for use with string musical instruments, having a neck connecting a head and a body with strings extending across the neck from the head to the body. A non-limiting list of such instruments is guitars (both acoustic and electric), violins, banjos, ukeleles, violas, and basses. The invention can be readily constructed of a strong, virtually unbreakable, lightweight, aesthetic material, preferably a plastic such as polycarbonate (e.g. LEXAN(copyright) from General Electric), may be easily assembled and disassembled, and can securely support both the neck and body of the instrument. The stand of the invention also preferably has a minimum number of pieces and no xe2x80x9cmoving partsxe2x80x9d. This not only means it can be low cost, but also there will be fewer pieces to keep track of, and be lost.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stand, comprising: First and second support pieces, each having a leg portion and an upright portion. First and second readily attachable and detachable connection portions formed in the first and second upright portions, respectively, the connection portions providing ready attachment and detachment of the support pieces, so as to allow the first and second support pieces to be moved from a supporting stand configuration to a low volume easily transportable configuration. An abutment piece having a peripheral portion and an engagement portion, with the upright portions dimensioned and configured to engage the engagement portion of the abutment piece when the connection portions are attached. And cooperating first and second surface portions formed in the first and second support pieces, respectively, dimensioned and configured to engage the peripheral portion of the abutment piece when the support piece connection portions are detached. In a preferred embodiment, the abutment piece peripheral portion comprises first and second legs with a substantially U-shaped recess between them.
Preferably the first and second surface portions have a friction fit with the abutment piece peripheral portion so that the abutment piece and support pieces are held together when the connection portions are detached and the abutment piece peripheral portion engages both the first and second surface portions. This allows the components to be transported together without any accessory mechanism, such as a bag or wrap [elastic or otherwise], to hold them together (although it is within the broadest aspect of the invention to use such a bag, wrap, or other accessory mechanism). The stand may have only these three pieces, that is consist essentially of the first and second support pieces and the abutment piece.
Alternatively, the stand may further comprise a latching element cooperable with the abutment piece to define a substantially horizontally closed vertically extending passage [that is, one through which the neck of a string instrument may pass, and be held securely in position]. In this latter case, the stand may have only these four components, that is consist essentially of the first and second support pieces, the abutment piece, and the latching element. While the latch may comprise a strap (and associated hook and loop fastener attachments), hook, or other conventional mechanism, in a preferred embodiment the latching element comprises an elastic element which has surface manifestations cooperable with the first and second legs of the abutment piece peripheral portion, to releasably close off the substantially U-shaped recess.
The support pieces and/or the abutment piece are preferably substantially planar for ease of construction and use, and are preferably made of molded polycarbonate, such as LEXAN(copyright), or a like material having the high strength, light weight, durability, aesthetic, and versatility of LEXAN(copyright). The connection desirably is a conventional slide connection (such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,955 or the commercially available BG soprano sax/trumpet stand), especially when the support pieces are substantially planar. xe2x80x9cSubstantially planarxe2x80x9d means that the pieces do not have a significant thickness dimension compared to the xe2x80x9cheightxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cwidthxe2x80x9d dimensions, and can readily assume a low volume configuration when disassembled.
The upright portions may define a substantially X-shaped male portion when attached together by the connection portions, and the abutment piece engagement portion may comprise a substantially X-shaped female portion which cooperates with the substantially X-shaped male portion so that the abutment portion is securely supported on top of the upright portions. Desirably, the X is not completely symmetrical, so as to provide a keying function.
The stand is particularly desirable in combination with at least one string musical instrument having a neck and body with strings extending between the neck and body, the neck supported by the abutment piece, and the body supported by the leg portions, when the connection portions are attached to each other. When the latching element is engaged, it substantially precludes the neck from separating from the abutment piece, and thereby prevents the instrument from falling even if jostled when on the stand. The stand may further comprise cushioning material (such as elastomeric material, cloth, felt, rubber, leather, or the like) on parts of the leg portions which support the instrument body, to minimize marring or damage to the instrument body. Similarly, the abutment portion may have cushioning material for a similar purpose.
The stand may be constructed to support multiple devices (preferably string instruments). The first and second support piece leg portions may each comprise two curved upper surfaces dimensioned and configured to support two devices at the same time, and the abutment piece peripheral portion may define two recesses, each dimensioned and configured to support a device.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a stand, comprising: Substantially planar first and second support pieces, each having a leg portion and an upright portion. First and second readily attachable and detachable connection portions formed in the first and second upright portions, respectively, the connection portions providing ready attachment and detachment of the support pieces. An abutment piece having a peripheral portion and an engagement portion. At least one (preferably both) of the upright portions are dimensioned and configured to engage the engagement portion of the abutment piece when the connection portions are attached. And a latching element cooperable with the abutment piece to define a substantially horizontally closed vertically extending passage (e.g. one suitable for containing the neck of a string musical instrument, such as a guitar).
The stand may consist essentially of the first and second support pieces, the abutment piece, and the latching element. The abutment piece peripheral portion may comprise first and second legs with a substantially U-shaped recess between them; and the latching element may comprise an elastic element which has surface manifestations cooperable with the first and second legs. The stand is most desirable in combination with at least one string musical instrument having a neck and body with strings extending between the neck and body, the neck supported by the abutment piece peripheral portion substantially U-shaped recess while the elastic element precludes detachment from the recess, and the body supported by the leg portions, when the connection portions are attached to each other.
According to another aspect of the invention, a stand is provided comprising: First and second (preferably substantially planar) support pieces of molded polycarbonate (such as LEXAN(copyright)). A slide connection between the first and second support pieces which allows ready attachment and detachment between the first and second support pieces so as to allow the first and second support pieces to be moved from a supporting stand configuration to a low volume easily transportable configuration. At least three feet (preferably four) of the first and second support pieces which engage a support surface when the first and second support pieces are attached together by the slide connection. An abutment piece comprising first and second legs with a substantially U-shaped recess between them. And cooperating manifestations on the abutment piece and at least one of the support pieces for mounting the abutment piece above the feet when the support pieces are attached together by the slide connection. The details of the stand may be as set forth above, and the stand is desirably in combination with at least one string musical instrument having a neck and body with strings extending between the neck and body, the neck supported by the abutment piece substantially U-shaped recess when the connection portions are attached to each other.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a sturdy, virtually unbreakable, easily transportable, easily assembled and disassembled, and aesthetic stand, most desirably for a string musical instrument so as to securely support the instrument in an upright, safe, and readily accessible manner. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from a detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.